The University of Iowa’s 125 pound star took the mat in Croatia this weekend, where he was able to bring home a bronze medal for Team USA at 55 KGs. This was Gilman’s second go around at the Junior World Championships, and after finishing 8th a year ago, Gilman was highly motivated to bring home a medal, and wasn’t going to let anyone, other than himself, decide the outcome of the match.
We left off the last article with Gilman winning two technical falls and gutted out a 4-4 win to reach the semifinals. There he wound up on the opposite end of a close match as he lost 5-2. It should be no surprise then that in his bronze medal match, Gilman came out shooting. Gilman was in on a takedown within ten seconds of the start of the match, Gilman went on to rack up the points to lead 8-6 after the first. In the second period Gilman scored five more points to finish the Bronze medalist by a score of 11-6.
Gilman’s bronze medal match
Gilman post win
In Gilman’s post match interview we learn that his final opponent had a different feel to him, and that is probably the reason had a tougher match. In the first period we mentioned Gilman attacked right off the whistle and got in on a takedown, but after that initial score Gilman had a tough time and ended up surrendering six points. In the second period Gilman was more aggressive and attacked more, which led to Gilman scoring five points to his opponent’s none. He also says that the mindset never changes, even when the goal is gold, and you end up wrestling for bronze you still have to go out there and take care of business.
My favorite quote from the interview happens at the 2:30 mark when Gilman is asked if he will take the experience from this tournament into the season as he tries to win a NCAA title, to which Gilman responds, “Yeah, of course. Always building off every competition, every match. I am going to take that loss, and I am going to build off it. I am going to review all my matches, but especially that loss and I am going to get better from it.” That is something that you really like to hear, and it shows great maturity from the young man. After his earlier interview on Flo he showed grace when talking about Clark getting the starting spot over him last year, and now in this interview we hear him talking about how even though you don’t want to lose a match, there are still things to learn from it.
Also, here were a couple photos found on the Twitter. Congratulations to Team USA who took home second place as a team with 58 points, behind Iran who had 64 points. Russia finished 3rd with 49 points.
Congrats to the @usawrestling team for taking second at the junior world championships! pic.twitter.com/EZe5EVRx0T
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) August 10, 2014
Proud of our FILA Junior team this weekend. Happy with performance. Never satisfied. #BearDown #USA pic.twitter.com/suOcnU0fqM
— Troy Nickerson (@troy_nickerson) August 10, 2014